CHARDON, CLEVELAND — Joe Mayo is no stranger to technology. 

He was once the Chief Operating Officer of a manufacturing company.

“We manufactured the first paint sprayer robot in the country many years ago,” he said.

These days, he’s encountering a robot of a much different variety.

Mayo is participating in a pilot program that allows him to have doctor visits from the comfort of his own apartment. He lives at Maplewood at Chardon, an assisted living community.

“The technology is what intrigued me. It’s also the best for the community,” Mayo said.

Dr. Kathleen Rogers is a doctor of geriatric medicine and runs the program.

Patients can schedule doctor visits in advance and when the day comes, Rogers is able to maneuver the robot throughout the community and have it go right up to a patient’s door.

Mayo prefers this to the old method of having to go to his doctor’s office, particularly in cold winter weather.

“They were a little more cumbersome,” Mayo said of his prior appointments.

The robot does more than just allow a patient to speak to their doctor. It’s equipped with a stethoscope, a blood pressure machine, and other instruments. It can run an EKG if necessary.

Rogers said technology like this is necessary right now.

“The population is aging. There’s not enough providers, let alone geriatric providers,” Rogers said.  

The residents at the community have grown used to seeing the robot drive around the community with Rogers' face on the screen. They often wave and say hello as she’s driving down the halls.